Hate messages blight US’ first gay homecoming king and queen
A Californian lesbian couple who won the homecoming king and queen titles at their high school have prompted a slew of hateful phone calls and emails to their school, officials said.
Rebecca Arellano and Haileigh Adams became the first gay royals in homecoming history at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego last week.
Arellano was voted king on Friday and Adams voted queen on Saturday by the student body.
When her girlfriend was crowned, Arellano wrote on Facebook: “I was happier than when I won, my little Haileigh has just been announced Homecoming queen and I couldn’t feel happier!”
“Thanks to every single one of you! You guys made this happen and we are all part of something huge. I can’t fully express how grateful I am. I am in completely shocked that this happen. My girl looks absolutely flawless.”
But messages phonecalls and emails soon began to flood the school. Officials did not detail the messages but described some of them as disturbing.
At the time, Adams admitted that not everyone had been so supportive.
She said: “We have a lot of support, but there are also a lot of people who are angry about it.
“Anonymous Patrick Henry students are saying they’re embarassed and that it’s wrong for a girl to take the spot of king. But there’s no other way for us to run as a couple. It’s not really fair for us not have the right to run as a couple.”
Bob Kowba, the city’s school superintendent, said people were “demonstrating such a lack of tolerance and are presenting such a negative role model for children with their hateful comments.”
He said the hateful messages were “also disrupting the work of the school to focus on the education of students.
“If these calls and emails were from students, they would face disciplinary measures.”
Kowba said he will “look forward to the day when all students can come to school, free of harassment and bullying.”
